1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a process cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, conventionally, a toner remained on a surface of an image bearing member after transferring a toner image to a recording medium or an intermediate transfer member is removed by a cleaning unit.
As for the cleaning unit, a cleaning blade has been used, as a structure thereof is simple.
A cleaning blade is typically constructed by supporting an edge part of an elastic member with a support member, and stops the toner remained on a surface of an image bearing member, and scrap the toner off to remove the remained toner on the surface, by pressing the end ridge part of the elastic member onto the surface of the image bearing member.
There is however a problem that a cleaning failure occurs.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2010-152295 (PTL 1), disclosed is a cleaning blade, which is brought into contact with a surface of a member to be cleaned to thereby remove a powder from the surface of the member to be cleaned. The cleaning blade is composed of an elastic body blade, an end ridge part of which has the friction coefficient of 0.5 or less, and a surface layer, which covers the end ridge part of the elastic body blade, has a layer thickness of 1 μm to 50 μm at the position that is 50 μm apart from the end ridge part, and is harder than the elastic body blade.
Meanwhile, there is a problem that an image bearing member is abraded by a contact with a cleaning blade.
In JP-A No. 2011-145457 (PTL 2), disclosed is an image forming apparatus equipped with an electrophotographic photoconductor containing an electrically conductive support, and a photoconductive layer and surface layer provided on the electrically conductive support, and a cleaning blade. The surface layer is a cured layer containing filler.